ECCT Tax Committee Lunch 

What's new on withholding tax saving?
Guest speaker
Ethan Hsieh, Associated Director, KPMG
Lorene Chen, Senior Director, KPMG

12:00 - 14:00, Thursday, 22 October 2015
Shangri-La Far Eastern Plaza Hotel, Premier Room (3F) /
香格里拉台北遠東國際大飯店 3F 九如十全廳
201 Tuen Hwa South Road, Section 2, Taipei / 台北市敦化南路2段201號 MAP

In Taiwan, withholding tax (WHT) continues to be a significant tax cost that often hinders cross-border service transactions. While keeping the general rate of 20% higher than corporate tax rate of 17%, the government has offered several avenues to reduce WHT. As one can imagine, it is never an easy task to obtain tax savings from the government. Each avenue has its own merits and demerits that requires professional evaluation and structured actions to pursue. Moreover, tax officers' assessment practices of WHT saving applications has changed over time. Some areas have been become more stringent, while some have become more feasible as experience accumulates.

In this luncheon, the speakers will provide:

• a high-level overview of the WHT saving avenues, including processes, documents and timelines
• an update on  tax officers' assessment practices of pre-approval and refund applications
• a few case examples to illustrate the "yes", "no" and "but"
• an open exchange of views and experience with the attendees.

About the speakers

Ethan Hsieh has over eight years of experience in providing advice to multinational clients on tax due diligence, international tax planning, tax ruling applications, handling tax investigations, and withholding tax minimization. Hsieh holds a bachelor's degree in public finance from National Chengchi University and an MBA from the University of Rochester. Prior to joining KPMG, he worked at the National Taxation Bureau in charge of audit review of corporate income tax and business tax for more than two years and the Bank of New York Mellon in New York City for one year.

Lorene Chen has over 15 years of experience in providing advice to national and multinational clients on international transfer pricing, withholding tax minimization and double taxation agreements. She received her bachelor's degree in business administration from National Taiwan University and her MBA from the University of California, Los Angeles. She is a certified public accountant in the United States.

Cost: NT$1,300 for members; NT$1,900 for member's guest

To Cancel without penalty, written cancellations must be received 24 hours prior to the event.

Contact: Jenny Wu / Tel 2740-0236 ext.219 / jenny.wu@ecct.com.tw / www.ecct.com.tw